And Dr. Campos also commented on the still controversial regulations in the pharmaceutical industry which require that all medication imported into Belize meet specifications and fees set by the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate. The regulations also demand that pharmacies must require prescriptions in order to sell certain medications to the public. Pharmacists say the regulations are too demanding, but Dr. Campos told us basically blame the anti-corruption efforts.

Dr. Angel Campos, Minister of State, Ministry of Health

“Previously whenever you use to buy pharmaceuticals it was in a high price list so what we did even the substantive minister, Minister Pablo Marin what he has done he has revised certain laws, he has put certain things in place so that we can get more medication, more quality medication for a lesser price that is why we go directly to the distributors and so when they tender it has to be a transparent tendering process so all those things that he has put in place to show transparency at the end of the day we have singed the UNCAC agreement we have to show that we are transparent in all that we do or else we can get jailed and that is the fact of it and that is happening all throughout Central America so the things that are being put in place is to cover ourselves as well in all those decision and to show transparency and that we are doing what we promised the people to do that we will show transparency in this government.”